Monday, July 8, 2024

2024 Quick Tournament Starts Next Monday - Writers Who Have Changed Chess History Part III - Dr. Emanuel Lasker

 


The Livingston County Chess Club meets every Monday night between

4pm and 10pm

at the Buffalo Wild Wings in the Green Oak Mall in Brighton, MI. 

Stop in for some friendly chess, good food and 'refreshments'.

Everyone of all ages and playing strength are welcome to attend. And free lessons to all beginners!

We will be having our free Quick Tournament starting next week. "Quick" means a 15-minute time limit per game and two rounds a night for probably 2 consecutive Monday nights. 

This should make for some exciting chess and a fun time. Be sure to be at the Club for this event probably starting around 6:30 pm.

Casual chess and early entry into the tournament is the plan for tonight.

Now, Writers Who Have Changed Chess History - Part III

Dr. Emanuel Lasker was perhaps the most remarkable man ever to achieve eminence in the chess world. 

That statement in itself tells you all you need to know as we go thru this list of chess writers that have changed history.

He was chess world champion for 27 years! The longest reign of any champion in chess history. From 1894 when he beat Steinitz, until 1921 when he lost to Capablanca.

And he maintained his chess skills for almost all of his life. 

In 1935, in the Moscow Championship, at the age of 67, he finished 3rd behind Botvinnik and Flohr by a half-point, finishing ahead of Capablanca by a half point!

Dr. Lasker was also a mathematician of caliber sufficient to earn praise from Albert Einstein - whoever he is.

Meanwhile, I am still working on my "gozintas". You know, like 3 gozinta 9, 3 times? I think

Dr. Lasker also was a first-class bridge, Go and dominos player and even invented a game called "Lasca", a variant of checkers.

The famous chess book he wrote was called "Common Sense in Chess" was a small work of only 141 pages, but it was published all over the world!

Lasker's 4 rules for development are:

> Do not move any pawns in the opening except the D and E pawns.

> Do not move any piece twice in the opening

> Bring knights out before bishops

> Do not pin your opponent's knights before your opponent castles

Dr. Lasker had a brother Frank who also was a chess player, but no where near Emanuel in strength, but very few were.

Edward Lasker, a grandmaster that came along later, claimed to be distantly related to Emanuel but that could not be substantiated beyond all doubt. Possible, but not proven historians say.

Emanuel and Edward did play against each other in a 1924 tournament in New York with Emanuel winning the tournament and beating his much less famous namesake 1-0-1 in their meetings in that tournament.


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